Olympus OM-2N | Fuji 800NPZ

Posted on Jun 19, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Olympus OM-2N | Fuji 800NPZ
This costs $8 now. PER RIDE. What happened? And now, without Astroland, are there still unlimited-ride bracelets on offer?

I'm sort of bummed how few people are on it. It was a grey day, threatening to rain, but from about 4pm onward it had turned gorgeous, so that couldn't be the reason.

Posted on Jun 19, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Olympus OM-2N | Fuji 800NPZ

Posted on Jun 19, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Olympus OM-2N | Kodak Ektar 100
Good day for sunbathing.

Posted on Jun 19, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Olympus OM-2N | Kodak Plus-X
Gotta go home sometime. One of the very last frames of the trip.

Posted on Jun 16, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Olympus OM-2N | Kodak Plus-X
I feel a little guilty because I told Brenda I'd have breakfast at her place. But after I'd woken up earlier than necessary in Alegria, wandering around with my backpack, I realized that nothing in Alegria opens before 8:30, even on a Monday, and I wasn't really in the mood for microwaved food (at least, I didn't think she had a full kitchen in the cafe).

So I headed to Santiago and randomly picked this comedor for breakfast. And finally, FINALLY had a delicious tamal de elote, one of my favorite tipicos which for some reason had eluded me until the last day.

Posted on Jun 16, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Olympus Trip 35 | Fuji Neopan 1600
Brenda owns an awesome little coffee shack off the plaza, in front of the bus stop, and serves only coffee from fincas around Alegria. I stopped by to see her every day. Quarter a cup, or if she's feeling generous, free atole de piña.

She seemed a bit lonely at times, and admitted she wanted to move to New York. Or anywhere in the States. She has cousins in LA, and some nebulous plans. At 30, she's single and losing faith in the available prospects in tiny Alegria. I asked her if nearby Santiago was an option, or even San Salvador. Her look of scorn said it all--mentally, she's through with this country.

Posted on Jun 16, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Olympus Trip 35 | Fuji Neopan 1600
Supposedly there was a festival on Sunday but there weren't that many more stalls than on Saturday. Flowers are everywhere in this town.

Posted on Jun 16, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Olympus OM-2N | Kodak Plus-X
More male bonding, forever. This is before Ronan and Will decided to jump in the sulfurous waters and play beer can football. American football, the kind you play with your hands.

Posted on Jun 16, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Olympus OM-2N | Kodak Plus-X
Crater lake nearish Alegria. Walkable, probably, but Ronan's visit down from Arambala included free transportation for my lazy self.

Posted on Jun 15, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Olympus OM-2N | Kodak Plus-X
Seems like everyone in Alegria sells plants of some kind.

Posted on Jun 15, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Olympus OM-2N | Kodak Plus-X
She was a giggly one. We turned it into a mini photoshoot, and she cheerily passed on her address for prints. Don't know if it was only for this special Sunday or if it's every Sunday, but she set up on the corner nearest Mi Pueblito vivero & restaurant, across from Brenda's little coffee shop. Delicious pasteles.

Posted on Jun 15, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Olympus OM-2N | Kodak Plus-X

Posted on Jun 15, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Olympus OM-2N | Kodak Plus-X

Posted on Jun 14, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Olympus OM-2N | Kodak Plus-X
In Santiago de Maria, a.k.a Santiago. This woman cracked me up...I had come to Santiago because I heard there was a food festival, with music and whatnot, but it was unimpressive. There WAS music blasting from the pavilion, but stuff like "Eye of the Tiger," complete with shadow-boxing by the local drunks. And she sat there with a big grin, tapping her toes, commenting how nice it was to sit and hear la musica, like she was at freakin' symphony in the park or something.

Anyway, after gently chiding me for my poor Spanish and saying I needed to practice, she admitted she couldn't read, and that I was lucky to know how. And then rather than just telling me her name, painstakingly wrote it in my notebook. She gave me a gentle, dry kiss on the cheek when she was finished listening to the music. Heartbreaking. MARIA, in a slow, childish scrawl. Maria is wonderful.

Posted on Jun 14, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)